A Kidnapped Heart
by MoonFlower '93
Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Slight spoilers for ep. 16. Chapter 7 is up!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi guys! I'm back! (Hears numerous groans.) What did you say?! (Pulls out borrowed wrenches from Winry and begins throwing them at people.) Ha! Take that! Anyway, here's my next story. Only my second, actually. It'll be longer than my last one. Well, please, read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own FMA! Ahhh! Lawyers! Back, back I say, you fiends! Be gone! It's mine, all mine! (Laughs maniacally, and then gets hit with a tomato. Yes, I know that's random, and no, I don't know where it came from.) Fine, fine...Can I at least own Ed? Pretty please? I won't hurt him too badly… (Hears screaming and the sound of a certain midget running in the background.) Okay. I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, would I be typing this and acting like a psychopath?! Stop reading the disclaimer and read the story already!

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart

**Chapter 1**

Edward Elric wandered around the aisles of Central's library, weaving through them with an ease that spoke of much practice. Dodging a librarian with a stack of books head-high, he went on his way, knowing right where he was headed – the alchemy section, where else? Turning the corner, he saw Scheska, and nodded her way. She grinned and waved back, then quickly returned to the book in her hands. Ed shook his head – you never found Scheska without a book. This was the perfect job for her.

As he went on his way, he heard a crash, and wheeled around to find Scheska, lying on the floor and looking rather dazed, lacking glasses and surrounded by a sea of books and a fallen shelf. The bookworm looked around in confusion, rubbing a sore spot on her head that would definitely become a bump. Ed rushed over to help. "You okay, Scheska?" She looked up at him with unfocused eyes, before she recognized who it was.

"Oh, hi Ed! Yeah, I'm fine. I was just reading this really good book here when I, uh…uh, ran into this shelf." She explained with a blush. It was then that she realized her lack of glasses, and began trying to find them, feeling with her hands. Ed grinned and picked them up from behind her, and discovered they were broken. Clapping his hands and repairing them, he handed them over, receiving a nod from Scheska. Upon being restored of vision, she looked around in despair. "Look at all these books!" she complained, "I didn't know there were this many!" She stood up and began restacking them in piles. Without saying anything, Ed moved around beside her, and, demonstrating strength he didn't appear to have, restored the fallen shelf to its previous position, and began reorganizing books. Working together, the two finished quickly.

Scheska nodded her thanks and gave him a smile, which he returned with one of his own. She then picked up the book she had been reading before, and once again engrossed herself in its pages. Remembering what he came there to do, Ed resumed his walk to the alchemy section.

Once there, he sat about searching for a new book he had recently heard about from Mustang, of all people, which might shed some light on the elusive Philosopher's Stone. Seeing the book he desired, he picked it up and brushed the dust off, coughing as it flew off. _This is one old book. When was the last time it was read? I thought the library took better care of its books than this. _He thought, taking note of some ripped up pages, a well-creased spine, and a dented cover, which read, _The Hidden Sciences of Alchemy_ on it, but lacked an author. Somehow, Ed wasn't surprised someone wouldn't want to admit they wrote this book. Good way to get killed if it said the wrong thing. Actually, he was surprised enough that the library even had this book. It didn't look like the kind of thing the military would want its alchemists to see. Still, he had to give it a chance.

The short alchemist flipped it open, noticing the yellowed pages and faded script. Was that bastard colonel sure this book was any help? How'd he find out about this anyway? However, noticing the size of the book, Ed decided it would be better to take this with him to look at longer. As he headed up front, Ed stopped and put the book on a small table near the front desk, noticing someone he thought he knew. Running forward he peeked outside, but not seeing anyone, he ducked back into the library. Walking back over to where he had placed his reading, he frowned, not seeing it. Looking closer, he found a note written in sharp, precise script.

_Hello, Fullmetal. If you want this book back, or your girlfriend Winry Rockbell, for that matter, you'll do what we say. Don't tell this to anyone, or the girl will pay. I'd hate to mess up that pretty face of hers, wouldn't you? If you're smart, you'll do what we say. Currently, we just need a little recall. Tell us everything you know about the government's current work – the troop placements, plans, everything. If you try to pull something…Well, let's just say it won't be pretty. Leave a note outside your apartment with the information on it; we'll get it. _

Ed looked back up, the note crumpled in his fist and his whole body trembling with anger. His golden eyes burned, seeing red, and a passerby noticed them and squeaked in terror. How could they involve Winry in their petty schemes! They would pay for this!

However, he knew he shouldn't just walk out. Maybe someone around had seen the culprit who left this foul note. Walking over to the front desk, he called to the librarian nearby. 'Um, excuse me, but have you seen the person who left this note? Perhaps someone over in that area?" He asked, gesturing to the table where he had been. The librarian glanced over at the table, and back at Ed.

"Um, yeah, I think. There was this man. He was tall, about 6'3" or so, heavyset, with a pale complexion, though darkened by the sun, and a trim brown beard and short-cut dark brown hair. He had black eyes, and was dressed in this strange long overcoat. He had on black combat boots and had a cruel air about him. Didn't seem like the kind of guy you want to be around, you know?" At this Ed nodded and thanked her, heading outside.

He glared at everything as he left the building. Rage infused every fiber of his being. However, he knew he had to keep a level head about him. He couldn't let himself get worked up and lose reason. That was kind-of hard to do right now…Still, first order of business; should he tell the military about this? He didn't really care about the bastards, but he couldn't let this terrorist group get away with this either. Who knew how many lives would be lost in the resulting chaos? Not just militia, but innocent bystanders would get dragged in too. He knew enough about the war with Ishbal to know that, at least. Not to mention, if they gained control, these fighters were sure to be trouble for the people. He was the "Alchemist of the People" after all, he couldn't let this happen…But, was he willing to risk Winry for it? The thought of her being hurt, or worse, left a hollow ache in his chest that wouldn't go away. Winry HAD to be alright. He wasn't about to let anything happen to her. She meant a lot more to him than he'd ever admit – A whole lot more than just a mechanic. Ed blushed a little at that thought. Then, he got an idea. He couldn't believe he was thinking this, let alone going through with it, but…but maybe he could tell that bastard colonel Mustang. He'd kept Al's secret. Besides, he wanted to make it to the top, and destroying a terrorist group before the military even knew it existed would certainly earn him points. If Ed had his way, the government would never know just how involved he was. Besides, Mustang would have sense enough to be discreet. Ed hated to admit it, but Mustang was a brilliant military tactician. Besides, he might know who the man who left the note was. Now, to go see Al, and then the Colonel…

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Mustang's POV

Ahhhh…I hate paperwork. And yet here it is. Mounds of the demonic stuff. Why do _I _have to sign all this again?! Sometimes I hate my job. When I'm Fuhrer, my second decree right after all women wearing mini skirts will be that I have to do no paperwork. None whatsoever. He smirked. Ha ha, maybe I'll even make the Fullmetal runt do it for me. Now, _that's _a tempting idea. Of course, I could just try sneaking out right now before I die of boredom…

Creeping out of my chair and trying to be utterly silent, I slip over to the door and peek outside. The coast is clear. I'm making a break for it. Just as I took the first step towards freedom, I heard footsteps and a loud crack, like that of a fired handgun, and jumped back in time to see a bullet go whizzing by inches from where my head had been. Freezing, I turned around, already knowing what I would see. There, framed against the doorway, stood 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. Oh, was I dead now…

"Colonel! Get in their and get that paperwork done, now! I said move!" she shouted, as I did not move quick enough for her and was forced to shrink further back into my office to avoid a few more bullets.

"Cool it Hawkeye. I, uh…I wasn't trying to get away or anything…" I said sheepishly. She gave me a look filled with so much sarcasm you could drown in it. Gulp…

"MUSTANG! I said get in that office now. Paperwork won't sign itself." Fortunately, she did put her gun away.

Gulping again, I did as I was told, knowing it was dangerous out there. Who was the superior officer again? Though I have to admit, the lieutenant was very pretty when she was angry…and very scary. As I darted back around the corner and into the relative safety of my office, I spied Havoc, Breda, and Fuery peeking around the corner behind Hawkeye, their expressions a mix of laughter and terror. It was bizarre. Let _them _try to face her. Still, I had better get back to work…Argh; did I mention I REALLY hated paperwork?

Normal POV

Ed raced along the streets, knowing that he first had to inform Al of these events. It wasn't safe for him, either. He also was aware that his little brother would want to come with him. He was Winry's friend, too….But, Ed didn't want to endanger him. However, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop him. How do you stop a suit of armor, anyway?! Still, he had to tell him. Rushing to their apartment, he hurriedly knocked, and as soon as Al opened the door, he flung himself inside and locked it. (A/N: Anyone know where they actually stay in Central? I'm not done with the series, and I have no clue.)

"What's wrong, Brother? You look upset, and worried…" Al knew when something was wrong with his big brother.

"It's Winry! She's been kidnapped!" Ed yelled at his sibling, his alarm showing through. Al started, shocked, before his eyes turned hard, practically glowing red.

"What! Tell me everything, Brother!" So, Ed told him. By the time he was done, both brothers were furious, and had agreed on the decision to tell Mustang. With that thought, they set off at a run to find aforementioned Colonel.

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Mustang's POV

"There, done. Surely that's all the paperwork. Can I go home now?" Roy asked pleadingly, looking up at Hawkeye with puppy dog eyes. Unfortunately, puppy dog eyes don't work on a currently-very-annoyed Hawkeye.

"Good job, Colonel. Of course there's more. Now you can move on to this stack. After you're done with it, _maybe_ you can go home." She said, procuring a stack of paperwork about a foot tall seemingly out of thin air. With that she turned around and shut the door to take a position by the outer door, effectively preventing his escape and sentencing him to at least 2 hours more boredom. He slammed his head against his desk to be sure he wasn't asleep and just having a very bad nightmare. Ughh…no luck.

Just as he resigned himself to his fate and started on the paperwork, he heard an exclamation of surprise from Hawkeye and looked up to see the Fullmetal runt and his brother come barging in, out of breath and looking alarmed.

"Oh, hello Al. Where's your brother? Oh, there he is. Sorry, Fullmetal, couldn't see you over the desk. Is that your latest venture, stilts? It's a good idea for you, actually." Roy started in, being his usual snide self. However, when his taunts failed to elicit the normal infuriated response from his subordinate, Roy began to get worried. "Seriously Fullmetal, what is it? You're never this quiet." He stopped and waited for Ed to speak.

"Sorry to barge in Colonel. It's just that we have a big problem." At that, the boys started to rapidly tell the tale of the day through the events in the library, including giving the description of the man who left the note. When they were done, they sat back in the chairs they had taken, waiting for Mustang's reply.

Roy crossed his fingers and sat back in his chair, analyzing the information the boys had given him. Hmmm…the man did sound familiar. Still, this was not good in the least. They military _definitely _didn't need any of their information leaked. They had enough trouble maintaining control as it was…If this got out, things were bound to get ugly. Not to mention, he didn't want this Winry to get hurt, either, both out of consideration for Fullmetal, and out of a debt he felt he owed for killing her parents. He felt like he had a responsibility to keep her safe. Not to mention, if he could destroy this terrorist group before the higher-ups even knew it existed, that would be major points, and that was just what he wanted. He was sure the brothers in front of him were aware of this, too. That's why they had come with little fear of him telling the Fuhrer. But first, he needed Hawkeye to pull up some information on this man. He thought he remembered his name from a case he had once read, and the man in it sounded a lot like this one…

"Maybe I can help you boys. I'm sure you're aware I need some points. Let me get Hawkeye to pull up some information on this man, okay? He sounds familiar; let me see…What was his name again…Thomas McKinley. I think that's right. Doesn't sound like a name belonging to anyone dangerous, does it?" While he had been speaking, Ed and Al's expressions had been picking up. They had someone to help find Winry. And if they knew anything about Mustang, it was that once he started something, he wouldn't give up.

The sarcastic colonel got up, and opened their door enough to yell to Hawkeye to get files on a Thomas McKinley. She began searching for them as he shut the door. "Hey Colonel," Ed spoke, "Thanks. For helping, I mean." He looked at the floor, embarrassed and annoyed that he had to ask for, and appreciate, the help Roy was giving them.

At this Mustang smirked, "It's alright, Fullmetal. Can't leave you to go try to rescue your girlfriend on your own, now can I? You might get hurt, and I don't want to deal with an injured, crybaby pipsqueak right now. So, I guess I'll lend a hand." He said, shrugging and flashing his eyes at Ed, who was currently glaring daggers at his superior officer and shouting various insults, curse words, and numerous sentences along the lines of, "Who're you calling so short it takes a microscope to find him, you jerk?!", and "She's not my girlfriend, she's just my mechanic!", at the top of his lungs. Mustang was only being saved by Al, who was trying to reason with his hot-tempered sibling.

"Ed, calm down. We've got to have his help, so you can't attack him yet. Deal with it after we rescue Winry, okay? Do it for her sake." At this, Ed relaxed a little, and at that moment, Hawkeye walked in with the file.

"The file on Thomas McKinley, sir. Will there be anything else?" She laid it on his desk. As he shook his head, she turned and headed out with a nod to the Elric brothers, who tried to return a friendly grin.

Roy opened the file on his desk, and skimmed through it. "Hmmm…Seems we've had trouble with this McKinley fellow before. Looks like he tried to lead an uprising against the State four years ago, but without enough manpower he was defeated. Didn't go without a fight, though. Looks like he's an alchemist, too. Before he was arrested he killed almost 150 soldiers, and another 50 citizens in the vicinity. Doesn't sound like much, but considering he only had about 50 men, he has quite the destructive capabilities. By the sound of it, almost all of those with him were alchemists, and I doubt it's any different this time. He was taken into custody and locked away, but that didn't last. He broke out after just 2 years in prison, meaning he's probably been amassing followers this entire time. He should have a good number by now; there are a lot of people who hate the government out there. We'll need to be very careful. It appears that he took a hostage last time, too. The wife of a state alchemist. Looks like he did what they wanted and gave them information, but when the military found out, the alchemist had his license revoked and was thrown in jail. However, after the assault was led on the rebels' base, they found the woman's body inside. She'd had her throat slit. It was too late." At this he looked up grimly to the shocked and worried faces of the teenagers in front of him. "We're going to have to be careful. This isn't going to be easy, and we don't want to repeat past mistakes. At the same time, we still can't tell the military, or they could very well just rush in and attack again, and by the time the fight was over, I suspect we'd have heavy losses and find your friend inside, in bad condition, or worse, dead. I'm sorry to say this so bluntly, but you need to get over the fear of it now so you realize what you're up against and can get her out of there."

While Roy was speaking, Ed's face had slowly hardened, full of determination and resolve. He WOULD get Winry out of there alive, no matter what the cost. There was no way he was going to lose her, too. Especially not to those bastards who would sacrifice a young girl for their own petty schemes. They would pay for this. One look at his brother's face told him he was thinking the same thing. It was then that Edward realized something – he would die before he let anyone close to him get hurt ever again. He would save her if it was the last thing he did. If those bastards did anything to her…there would be hell to pay. Now, all they had to do was come up with a plan.

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A/N: How is it sounding? I'm going through a bit of a writer's block right now, but I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible. Now please, please review. I have gotten a grand total of three reviews on my only other story here. I need some input here, guys! There's so many people that read stories but don't say anything. I would really appreciate it if you would just drop a word or two. It can be a little or a lot, I just want some opinions. So, so you see that little button down there? Push it, ok? Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi everybody! Big thanks to my reviewers Syolen and SistersGrimm! Well, I guess I'm not in a talkative mood today, so, without further ado, the next chapter! Quick note though – the large portions of this chapter that are italicized are Winry's flashbacks of what happened. Anyway, please read!

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. Alright, alright, I got the idea last time. I don't even own Ed. However, I do own this story. There, that good?

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart

**Chapter 2**

Winry woke up to darkness. Realizing she had a blindfold over her eyes, she tried to reach up to undo it, only to find her hands bound behind her. Moving her legs, she discovered they had endured the same treatment. Gritting her teeth, she tried to stretch her arms to see what was behind her. Where was she? What happened? She stretched, and could feel cool metal against her hands, and below her. A metal building? It takes money for one of those. And what happened? Why was she here? Where was Granny Pinako? She shuffled around into a comfier position, trying to remember how she got here, wherever here was.

_Winry stepped outside the doors of the house she shared with Granny Pinako, taking a deep breath of the fresh spring air. It had just rained, and everything smelled fresh and clean. She might not like storms, but afterwards was fine with her. Everything sparkled in the sunlight, and little raindrops perched on the leaves looked like tiny diamonds straight from heaven. A few birds chirped in the nearby trees, informing the world of their happiness in high-pitched little trills. Winry felt like she wanted to do the same thing. It was one of those perfect days you just wanted to run around and enjoy life. Unfortunately, you very rarely got to enjoy these kinds of moments. After all, automail wouldn't build itself. So, she was headed to town to buy some metal from a nearby dealer. _

_She walked along the path, thinking that she only needed one more thing to make the day perfect after all. Edward. She'd never admit it, but he was all she needed to be happy. Even after all these years of knowing him, it was only after their time apart that she realized something – she loved that stubborn alchemist to death. Unfortunately, he still wouldn't tell her what was going on, what he did while he was away. He might say it was for her own safety, and though she believed him, which was more important: the safety of her body or the safety of her heart? He was forgetting about the latter. She knew he was trying to help, but…she'd much rather he be here with her and not out doing whatever it was he did. And when he came back with automail wrecked in all matter of ways, it only made it worse. How could she do anything but worry about the sweet fool? _

"_Ugh…enough rambling. I hope he drops by soon, though. I'm developing quite an urge to throw a wrench at his head." She said to herself with a little blush as she started to walk past the buildings on the outskirts of the town of Resembool, headed towards the square. _

Winry looked up at the sound of a door opening and closing, and the warmth of a single ray of sunlight against her skin. She could hear footsteps, presumably those of whoever had brought her here, coming inside. Listening closely, she could just make out the last words one man, probably the boss, said to another in a deep, gruff voice.

"…use her as a bargaining chip against that Fullmetal alchemist twerp and the state. That'll get us what we need." Suddenly, she heard boots turn and squeak on the floor, headed her way, and the same man as before spoke in a sneering, hateful tone with harsh accents. "Well, well, looks like our little prize is awake. Couldn't believe she slept so long anyway. Lazy bones girl. Oh well, we'll get what we want whether she's cooperative or not. Though for your sake, girly," he said, leaning in close to her ear and whispering, "I recommend you do what we say. After all, we wouldn't want anything _unfortunate _to happen, now would we?" He laughed, and a couple of thugs who sounded like they were near the door laughed with him. Harsh, cruel laughter that sent a chill through Winry's bones and made her heart skip a beat. She had to get out of here. As the men left, still plotting about something, more of her memory fell back into place from the jumble inside her mind that kept her from thinking straight.

_She reached the store she was looking for, _Conner's High-Quality Metal Shop, _and proceeded to purchase a nice amount of steel and various metals to create some new automail with. Pulling some money out of her purse and paying the man, she set off back towards home. However, as she was reaching the outskirts of town, which were strangely deserted today, she heard a noise and what sounded like a whimper from an alleyway. In what was definitely not the smartest move in her life, she headed down that way to see if there was perhaps a hurt animal that needed care. Maybe another dog like Den? Looking around, she thought she spotted movement behind a large box against the walls of the alley. Peering over to look and call in a comforting tone to whatever was there; she spun around too late to see a man bearing down on her from behind, holding a cloth in front of him that had a strange smell to it. She started to try to run, but he grabbed her and held her as she turned, and held the cloth to her nose and mouth. Unless she wanted to suffocate, she had to take a breath. Her eyelids flickered as she inhaled the sickly sweet perfume that was making her drowsy. Falling, she retained consciousness just long enough to hear the man say to his goons who appeared from behind her where she thought the animal was, "Stupid girl. That was too easy." And with that, she sank into a deep, dark sleep._

So she'd been kidnapped. Now that her mind was working again, she was aware of how stupid she had been and cursed herself for it. How dumb do you have to be to go in a dark, deserted alleyway alone? Mentally cursing herself again, she tried to think rationally how she could get out of this and why they wanted her. The latter part had already been solved. The pieces clicked into place. She was a bargaining chip to use against Ed in order to manipulate and obtain information about the government. Best way to get someone to do what you want is to attack the one closest to them. After Al, that was her. Al was too hard to get to, so she was the target. They had probably threatened to hurt her, or worse, in order to get Ed to do what they wanted. She hoped he wouldn't give in. She didn't want him getting in trouble, or especially hurt, over her. She was going to have to try to find a way out on her own. And that was just what Winry was determined to do. She might not be some powerful alchemist, but there was no way in hell she was going down without a fight. She was getting out of here and those men were going to pay, if she had something to say about it. Little did she know, at that moment, on the other side of Amestris, Ed was having almost identical thoughts. Those men were going to go through hell, one way or another. (I really wanted to end the story here, but decided it wasn't long enough. Aren't I nice?)

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Ed, Al, and Mustang sat around the colonel's desk, each trying to think of various ways to rescue Winry and subdue the terrorist group. Ed's thoughts revolved around various ways of alchemizing their base to dust and attacking them, or just generally going in and trying to beat the crap out of them. He definitely wasn't the tactician, unlike his brother. Having a slightly more peaceful temperament than his hot-headed sibling, Al's thoughts revolved around the idea of trying to negotiate this without violence, and maybe just convince the group to give it up before anyone was hurt. And Mustang was thinking…Well, who knows what Mustang ever thinks about. (Personally, I'd be scared to find out.) They all agreed, however, that there was no way they could give any real information to these terrorists, and at the same time, they couldn't refuse to answer unless they wanted Winry hurt. After a few minutes of thinking, they decided that the best thing to do would be to give them some false data that, if manipulated correctly, would work to their advantage nicely. Basically, the idea was to give them some false coordinates for troop positions and trick them into moving the majority of their men into one area so it would be easy to infiltrate their base and rescue Winry. After that, they could just notify the military of the rebels' existence under the pretense that they just received the information. Then the military would go in and take care of the opposing forces and this mess would be taken care of easily. Unfortunately, things are rarely as easy as they sound. That's because there was one major problem: They had no clue where there base was. It was suggested that they intercept the spy who would come later that night to pick up the information and get the information out of him. However, there was no way the group wouldn't notice a missing messenger, so that idea was quickly discarded.

_Damn. _Ed thought. _I'm not used to dealing with such sensitive issues. I'm used to going in there, storming the bad guys, and getting out without trouble. I'd rather fight some homunculi than have to deal with all this strategizing again. I could almost, I said _almost, _sympathize with that bastard colonel. I'm not that pitying yet, though._

The three plotted into the evening, finally coming up with a note suitable to leave for the terrorists. Having finally decided on troop numbers, tactics, and positions, they had created a plan. They generally just provided them with vague data, nothing that was really important and all of which was fictional. They couldn't give them anything too specific. They didn't know where their enemies' base was hidden, and they had to know where to lure them to in order to get them far away. After they found the location, they could see about sending them elsewhere. Now, to finding the location…

"We could send one of your men to follow the spy tonight." Suggested Al. "Wait until he intercepts the note, then have one of your people trail him back to his base." It sounded so simple they couldn't believe they didn't think of it earlier. Mustang and Ed shared identical looks of; _you're making me turn stupid. Is it contagious or something?_, with each other. Shaking their heads, they grinned at Al and Ed clapped him on the back.

"I didn't know you were a strategist, Al! You're good at this. So, what do you say?" he said, turning to face Roy and cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I think I'll send Havoc – he's been itching to get out on a mission anyway. This sounds right up his alley." He said with a smirk that looked ill for poor Havoc.

"Hey! Why can't I follow him?! She's my friend; I think I have the right to trail the guy!" Ed yelled, obviously wanting to track him on his own. Mustang shook his head.

"You're too noticeable. With that bright blonde hair, not to mention hairstyle, your gold eyes, and…ahem…" Here it was evident Mustang had to restrain himself. "Your, uh, unique height, not to mention they already know who you are, you can't go. It's too risky."

Ed sat down and seethed, and though he didn't want to, he had to admit, Mustang had a good point. He'd go with it for now.

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_10 minutes later after having driven to Havoc's house in Mustang's car, which came extremely close to being deconstructed by two curious and agitated alchemists, and in which Roy nearly lost his mind from annoyance._

Knock, knock, knock. Roy rapped on Havoc's door a few times. It was currently 11:00 p.m., and they were sure the lieutenant was in. When no answer came after a minute or two, Roy knocked again. No answer. They checked to be sure, and Havoc's car was still there. They were losing time and Mustang was losing patience. Shaking his head, Roy stepped back and eyed Havoc's 2nd story bedroom window, which was slightly cracked open in an attempt to coax a nonexistent breeze inside. Snapping his fingers, there was a flash and suddenly a ball of bright red fire appeared outside said window.

The brothers jumped, and Ed had the thought, _remind me never to annoy the colonel to the extent he flames _my_ window. _It didn't exactly look like a pleasant wake-up call. A few seconds later they heard the distinct sound of someone hurrying downstairs.

Very shortly the door was thrown open and the trio was exposed to Havoc's very loud shout of, "WHAT?!" It was then that he actually noticed who stood in his doorway with expressions ranging from annoyance to surprise to something homicidal. Seeing them, Havoc muttered a small "Eep…" before opening the door wider and letting them inside the house.

In the dim light Ed could distinguish a nicely-furnished living room consisting of a tan futon with clay red and orange pillows adorning it, two brown suede armchairs opposite the futon, and a small redwood coffee table in between them. On either end of the futon were two redwood end tables that matched the middle table, and that sported a wide variety of magazines, books, and a couple of coffee mugs. The carpet was a pale tan color, and the top portion of the walls were a strange, pale burnt-orange with the bottom half, which was a pale brown, jutting out a couple of inches. At the end of the room was a stone fireplace with a redwood mantle that had various pictures of Havoc, and what Ed took to be pictures of Havoc's family and probably a girlfriend. Altogether, it was a nice room, though it was a little different. It didn't really seem to fit Havoc's personality, but hey, you never knew.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here? Colonel, Major Elric, Al? It's late, and I was just getting ready to go out on a date with my new girlfriend." He said, gesturing to his nice outfit.

"It's 11:00 at night Havoc, who goes on a date now?" asked Roy.

"I can go on a date whenever I want to, Colonel! And believe me, this is one great girl." He grinned back with a dreamy look on his face at his superior officer while twirling a cigarette between his fingers.

"Well, I hate to inform you, but you're gonna have to cancel that dream date. We've got some terrorists on the loose and we need you to help us track them." And with that, the three informed Havoc of the events of the day. By the time they were done, he was mad too.

"Just let me at them!" He thundered. "No one is going to attack my friend's girl! We'll rescue your girlfriend, Edward, rest assured." This touched a nerve in the pint-sized alchemist of course, but as he really did appreciate Havoc's help, he didn't say anything. He also received the uncanny impression that he was looking at a smaller version of Armstrong. It just sounded like something he would say. Shaking their heads, they thanked Havoc and they all piled back into Roy's tortured vehicle. Soon they were back at the Elric's apartment. By now it was 11:50, and the messenger should appear at any moment. The note was slipped just a little ways under the brothers' door, and Roy was outside in his car, watching, while Havoc was hidden around the outside door to follow the culprit.

The clock struck midnight, and as if on cue, a relatively small figure crept across to the apartments, wearing a long, covering black cloak and a black hat, and black leather gloves. In the darkness Roy and Jean couldn't make out much of his figure or face, especially because his hat was tipped low.

A few minutes after he entered the building, the suspicious character exited it, and slipped back the way he had come. With a thumbs up to the colonel, Havoc slipped expertly into the shadows a good ways behind the man and started tracking him.

Jean followed the man several blocks, staying hidden against the sides of the buildings. After a few streets, the spy took to the alleys. Havoc was a little worried he had been discovered, but the man didn't act any differently, so he pursued him further.

Turning another corner into a dirty alley, Havoc came to a screeching halt, finding himself face-to-face with the barrel of a gun.

"Stand very still, or I'll shoot you now. My finger is on the trigger. Don't tempt me." The man threatened him in a low, dangerous voice. Havoc gulped. He was in trouble now.

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A/N: I'm going to have to apologize for that chapter. I knew what I wanted to say, but somehow it just wouldn't come out right. Anyway, how was it? Is the story picking up any? Oh, and do you like my cliffhanger? My friend Alatus is right, we're evil. Bwa ha ha! Sorry, demonic writer moment. By the way, as of right now, this story has had 72 hits and 2 reviews. That's 70 people who haven't reviewed. Would you PLEASE, PLEASE review? Just a word or two? Whether you like it or not, just type a little. So, do you see that button down there? It's staring at you, telling you to press it. Listen to it. Okay, so I'm in a weird mood tonight. Ignore my strangeness. It is past midnight and I've had a busy day, give a girl a break! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing, and I'll see you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi everybody! First of all, I'd like to thank my reviewers: Syolen, SistersGrimm, jacksparrow589, and GilbertDrone328. I really appreciate your input. I'm really sorry I haven't updated for so long. I've been busy, though I know that's no excuse. That, and when I started this chapter I had absolutely no idea where it was going. Please don't be too mad at me for being behind. I'll try not to do it again. Oh, and if anything here sounds strange, I seem to have a twisted sense of humor tonight, so don't mind me. Also, my computer is really acting up, so any really weird typos are not my fault. Well, anyway, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. This thing is really a pain to type on every chapter. I'm not claiming I own it okay, so don't sue me! Does anyone here honestly think it's mine? If you do, I recommend you check yourself into the nearest psych ward you can find.

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart

-----------------------------------------------Last Chapter---------------------------------------------

_Turning another corner into a dirty alley, Havoc came to a screeching halt, finding himself face-to-face with the barrel of a gun._

"_Stand very still, or I'll shoot you now. My finger is on the trigger. Don't tempt me." The man threatened him in a low, dangerous voice. Havoc gulped. He was in trouble now. _

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Suddenly, a gunshot rang through the air, its harsh crack breaking the silence after the spy's proclamation.

Havoc jumped back in surprise, untouched, as a bullet hit the man's gun dead-on, sending it flying out of his hands as he jumped.

Both men looked up to find the bullet's source, and Havoc let out a cry of joy. There, on the rooftop of the building beside them, stood Hawkeye in khaki pants, a black T-shirt, and black combat boots, her gun trained on the other man's chest. Havoc sighed in relief; Riza's aim and timing were impeccable, as always.

Havoc raised his gun up to cover for his coworker as she found the stairs off the building and into the alley. She walked over behind him, and gestured for the man they had apprehended to walk in front of them. She mouthed to Jean, "We'll talk at the apartment." They both walked back with the man, with Havoc sweating nervously at the thought of Hawkeye's reaction at discovering Mustang hadn't told her about his latest mission. He would rather be at gunpoint with that man again than that. Survival chances were better with him.

Back in their apartment, Ed paced the room anxiously while Al and Mustang sat on the bed. Nobody spoke much. They were too nervous. They should probably go back to sleep, as Havoc would probably take a while getting to the terrorists' base and back, but they all knew they couldn't. They were too agitated.

Ed had a scowl plastered on his face, probably still annoyed at being unable to track the man himself, Mustang was tense, and Al looked worried, or at least as worried as a suit or armor can look. Either way, his eyes glowed purple and darted around the room, revealing his discomfort.

Despite his expression, Al was the most patient in the room. Ed had no patience to speak of, and coupled with his hot temper, that was a bad combination. Mustang may have been used to situations like this from all of his military time, but it didn't make him enjoy it. If Mustang said the wrong thing, which he was likely to do, then thanks to Ed, Jean might not have an apartment left to report back to.

Suddenly, the three simultaneously turned their heads to the door at the sound of footsteps, wondering who it could be. After all, not many people are out at thirty minutes past midnight.

But at a knock on the door and Havoc's call of, "It's me." They opened the door and watched as he, the spy, and Hawkeye filed into the room, the man still at the end of two guns.

The trio left in the room exchanged looks of confusion and, after realizing Hawkeye had just entered the room, fear. Ed and Al tried to edge away from the colonel in the most inconspicuous way possible. They failed miserably has the blond-haired soldier pinned them down with a glare. Ed gulped, and in a pathetic attempt to get away, Al tried to hide his huge armor form behind his brother's diminutive one. Like I said, a pathetic and futile attempt.

Havoc attempted to shuffle sideways behind Hawkeye (So she might forget he was in the room. Ha ha, fat chance.), who gestured for the spy to take a seat in the corner, and fixing him with a glare that told him that if he moved he would die, fastened her gaze on the others. Noticing who was behind her, she reached over without looking and grabbed the collar of Jean's uniform and slung him forward onto the couch in front of her. She then looked at the others with that stone-cold glare. "Sit." She commanded. They gulped. Mustang decided that for as long as he lived, he would never find anyone or anything scarier than his angry lieutenant. Edward simply debated if he could transmute a hole in the wall and get away before Hawkeye shot him. In the end, the terrified trio had no choice but to obey and sit by their horrified companion.

Hawkeye walked over and stopped in front of them. Swinging her gun up and cocking it before propping it against her shoulder, she leaned closer till her face was only about two feet from theirs.

"Now," she said, "Anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on here? Colonel Mustang, you get to go first."

Eyeing the woman's gun warily, Mustang started, "Uh…well, you see…we kind-of…" he stuttered.

"Colonel!" Hawkeye prompted, releasing two rounds from her weapon into the ceiling, which made little pieces of dust and plaster fall and caused everyone in the room cringe.

Mustang decided it would be wiser to start over. So, he started explaining to Riza what was going on and why Havoc was in the alley with the man. By the time he was done, the mood in the room was calmer, though its occupants were now simmering with anger towards the terrorists.

When he finished, he shot a look at Hawkeye as if pleading for her to put her gun away. She was frowning, but obeyed, sticking it back in its holster.

"Hmmm…And why didn't you tell me about this so I could help?" she asked.

"Because, we didn't think there was any need to bother you this late at night. By the way, how did you know where we were, or to follow Havoc anyway?" Mustang questioned.

"Well, I was honestly just out driving to a restaurant. I didn't feel like cooking, so I was going to grab something quick to eat when I saw you three outside Havoc's place. I didn't want you to get into trouble, which, knowing you three, especially you, Colonel, you were sure to do. That, and I noticed the Colonel hadn't finished his paperwork today, and I still had it with me. So, I thought I might follow you and give it to him."

At this Mustang groaned, and shook his head, as Hawkeye pulled yet another foot-tall stack of papers out of thin air and handed to him. Ed snickered at the tortured man. Then, Hawkeye continued.

"So, anyway, I waited until you guys left in Mustang's car, and then just followed you to these apartments. I parked outside, and when I saw the cloaked man leave with Havoc behind, I just followed until I found him at gunpoint. You know the rest." She finished.

Ed shook his head and tried to laugh quietly (and failed), while muttering under his breath to Al, "She really _is _his babysitter!"

Evidently, and unfortunately for Ed, both officers heard him, and turned with identical murderous expression toward the alchemist, who uttered a small "eep!" as he looked from gloved fingers ready to snap and burn him to a crisp to the barrel of a pistol.

"Did you say something, Fullmetal?" questioned Mustang in a soft, scary voice. Ed shook his head forcibly.

"I guess that's okay then." He said as both officers lowered their weapons of choice.

"Whew!" Ed muttered in relief.

"Well, I think it's time to start questioning the prisoner, don't you?"

The others nodded in agreement, and Riza walked over and brought the man to them, and pulled of his cloak and revealed him to the light.

The he was actually a she. She had long, flowing blonde hair and brown eyes, with a pale complexion. She had a petite, fine face, with a small nose, high cheekbones, and a haughty manner about her. Her lips were pursed together in a petulant expression while she looked down her nose at the others. Truthfully, she looked more like she belonged in some fine lady's home than here. She seemed fitted to elegant dresses and high heels rather than the form-fitting black pants and shirt she was wearing, and the black combat boots. The men were more than a little stunned, though Hawkeye seemed indifferent.

Havoc exclaimed, "She's a girl! And a pretty one! And…and she looks like the lieutenant!"

It was true. The captured woman did bear a striking resemblance to Hawkeye, down to the prim line of her mouth revealing that she was annoyed. With a little makeup, they could pass for twins. Still, the work had to be done, woman or not. So, Ed transmuted a rope from the fibers of the carpet to tie the woman up with.

After binding her hand and foot to a chair, they set about the interrogation.

"Where is your base?" questioned Mustang. The woman didn't answer.

The Colonel snapped his fingers and set a fire bouncing about above them, but still the woman wouldn't speak.

Hawkeye shook her head. He might be a good tactician, but that pretty face just wasn't scary enough to get answers. Stepping forward and gesturing for her commander to move away, she stopped in front of the woman and fixed her with a glare.

"Now," she said, "Do you feel like talking?" When the prisoner didn't answer, she sighed, pulled out her gun, and began rapidly firing at the air just fractions of an inch from the woman's body. The bullets were so close some tore holes in the sides of her clothes, just missing her skin. Her gun smoking, Hawkeye lifted it up and blew the smoke off before reloading it and setting it back on her shoulder.

Fixing the woman with a cold stare, she spoke in a harsh, cold voice. "Now do you feel like talking?

She nodded vigorously. Now, it was Mustang's job to resume questioning. "First of all, what's your name?"

"Allison." She spit out at him.

"Well, Allison, now I repeat myself, and I recommend you answer for your own sake, where is your base?" Mustang demanded of the woman.

The spy smoldered a little bit before speaking, biting her words off as she spoke as if they left a bitter taste in her mouth. "We've got a nice base way south of here. Actually, it's near the end of our border. It's a great base. Lots of metal buildings, strong fortifications, and swarming with soldiers and alchemists. We've got artillery for our weapons, plenty of supplies, and over 250 people. Nobody can stop us now. Our cause is right and noble, and we're going to beat you to a pulp!" she yelled suddenly, her eyes filled with a strange mix of enthusiasm and hatred, which made her look a little crazed.

"Hmph…" muttered Mustang in disgust, "We'll see about that. And I ask you, how is it right and noble to capture an innocent young girl and hold her hostage? She never did anything to you! For all your talk, you're nothing but a bunch of incompetent cowards!"

At this the woman just smirked. Suddenly, her expression turned to shock, as Hawkeye had had enough and swung around to slap her full force across the right cheek, strong enough to whip her head sideways and leave a large red mark on her face. Obviously, Hawkeye wasn't happy about someone insulting her commander and her military.

Through this whole ordeal Ed had remained strangely and uncharacteristically silent, probably thinking about how to infiltrate the base. However, at the mention of Winry, he whipped his head up and glared at the woman with eyes of pure, molten gold hatred.

For the first time since she had been there, Allison was truly scared.

Edward continued to stare at her, until she was lost in those horrible, angry eyes.

"Do you know," he started in a voice much colder and crueler than any of those around him had ever heard, and which sent a shudder through their bones, "That the woman you kidnapped has never harmed a person in her life?! She is completely innocent. She hates the military as much as you do. But still you bastards kidnapped her and hurt her, and threatened to kill her, for your petty schemes! Nothing is equivalent to a life. And yet you cowards took her away from her life, her family, and her friends, to try to get some leverage, in an attempt to use me and gain an advantage over the government. That's the worst mistake you'll ever make. Let me tell you…You better wish your buddies over there don't harm a hair on her head. Because it they do, there is no way in hell you can get away from me before I eradicate everyone of you from the face of this planet."

The feeling in the room had tensed, and everything had gone silent. During his speech Allison had started quivering, and by the end she was in tears. Looking away, Ed finally released her from the spell his eyes had put her in. Oh, how she wished she had never gotten in on this. That boy over there…He might only be fifteen, but when angry, he had to be the most terrifying person she had ever met.

Ed was amazed at the way he sounded too. He was furious inside, but he didn't know he could sound like that. It frightened him how cold he had gotten. Because he knew, deep inside him, that if something happened to Winry, that something inside him would break, and then no one would be able to stop him from accomplishing his threat.

Attempting to break the awkward silence that followed Fullmetal's announcement, Roy spoke. "Havoc, will you take Allison to another room and watch her while we discuss our plans? We'll fill you in after bit."

Havoc left, and with the source of his rage gone, Ed sat limply beside his brother, who wrapped an arm around him comfortingly. They would get through this. They had to. Now, to developing a strategy…

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A/N: Well, how was it? I tried to make this one a little more humorous, and Hawkeye is a good way to do that. Still, it got a little creepy there at the end. Kind of ruined the funny mood, uh? I hope Ed wasn't OOC, but if Winry went missing, I think he would act like that. Still, it would be scary to picture him that mad. I don't want to be those terrorists, that's for sure. Anyway, thanks again for reading, and please, please review! I really want to hear your opinions! And I apologize again for being so late updating, and for this being so short! I'd make it longer, but it's midnight, and I have to get up at 5:30 tomorrow, so I need to get to sleep. Anyway, see you next time!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm proud to say this chapter is longer, though not by much. Anyway, before I start, I advise you to go read the 7th Harry Potter book now! It's really good! Oh, and for the tactical planning going on in this chapter, I'm sorry if it's not very good, that kind of thing is my cousin's job, not mine. He's good at it. My apologies, and thanks again. Oh, I have one last thing to say. As I know FMA is set in the early 1900's, I know they probably wouldn't have some of the technology I use in my story. However, I'm adapting it my way, so it's still in the same time frame, but with more advanced tech, okay? On the reverse end of that, I do have them spar with swords and such, as well as hand-to-hand, and I apologize if that's annoying, but that's all I know about combat, and things get pretty boring if all anyone does is shoot at each other. Sorry if that bothers you. One last note before I go: I would like to thank Alatus for pointing out that Ed and Co. have no proof Winry has been kidnapped. Big thanks to her for bringing that to my attention, I'll fix that soon. Sorry about not clarifying that. Anyway, without further ado, chapter 4!

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist.

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart

Hawkeye, Mustang, Ed, and Al sat around the small coffee table in the middle of the Elric's living room plotting for a long time. It was finally decided that they would send Hawkeye back disguised as Allison and hope no one noticed the switch. That would keep the terrorists from being suspicious from a missing spy. Also, it would serve as an excellent way to get information from the inside, and, of course, to be sure Winry was actually missing. Al brought that point up, that they had no proof Winry was gone; they had just leapt up in rage and panic and went about a rescue mission. With Riza on the inside, they could be sure that they were actually holding her hostage. If anything happened, Riza could report it to them. Ed wanted for the lieutenant to also try to get Winry out of there, but it was decided it would be too difficult and that she would merely keep her safe. They didn't know how much she could do, but in an emergency, she would break cover to protect the automail genius. Though Ed wasn't particularly happy with leaving Winry in enemy hands, he decided that this plan would have to do. As a cover story for why she was late back to the base, the military officer would tell the terrorists that she had to take a different route to avoid a government pit stop, which halted all traffic on the road and searched everyone there.

Eventually this plan was agreed upon by everyone, and Riza went to watch Allison and switch clothes with her while Havoc was filled in. He agreed with the plan also.

A few minutes later, Riza reentered, looking identical to Allison. They were sure this would work. After getting the final details on the location of the base and what was expected of her there, and receiving the good wishes of her friends, Hawkeye set off for the terrorists' headquarters. The others could only hope everything would turn out alright.

After Hawkeye had left, the remaining group of four moved Allison into a small room out of hearing range of the living room and thought about the note they would send to the terrorists tomorrow night, which would contain information which would, hopefully, lead them to move their men away from the base and leave it more vulnerable.

It was finally decided on to deceive the rebels by informing them of a large (and fictional) operation going on in the West, a good ways away from Central. They claimed that that was where major training was going on for soldiers and that new recruits were also based out that way. There was also a research area for alchemists, but what they were studying was unknown to those not involved in the project.

Altogether, the information would be all too tempting for the terrorists to say no. They only hoped that they wouldn't be suspicious of the information they were receiving. That was the plan's only weakness. If they led an assault on the base and the men had not been ordered out, then they were in serious trouble. But it was all they could come up with without more time. It would have to do.

After they were done, Ed sat back and stretched. He looked at the clock, and groaned. It was 5 in the morning. Looking around at his tired companions, Ed decided he was too tired to chase them out, and knew they were too exhausted to leave on their own accord, so he let them stay the night there. Luckily, the Elric's had a spare guest bedroom with two small beds. As for Allison, whom they could not just leave unattended through the night, as she was sure to try to get out, Al volunteered to watch her since he didn't need sleep. Ed was too tired to argue, and just nodded his head in thanks and consent. The second the other three's heads hit the pillow; they were out like a light. They must have been really tired; as not even Ed's horrible snoring woke them up.

Riza slipped out of the apartment parking lot and disappeared into the shadows. Before she headed to the terrorists' base, she had one quick stop to make.

Finishing her business, Hawkeye left the building she had entered fifteen minutes before and slipped into a dark alley on the side of the street. If she was acting like a spy she needed to play the part convincingly.

She navigated her way through the maze of dark tunnels that led all across Central, and that were used by the less-than-prestigious members of the community. She wasn't afraid, though; she had her gun and she knew how to fight. No one would mess with her.

She reached the outskirts of town, and from there proceeded to follow the dusty trail that lead south. She was the solitary figure on the road tonight, no one else wanted to be out at 2 a.m. in the morning. She'd pulled all-nighters before though; she could catch up on sleep tomorrow. If the spy she impersonated worked at night, she would get to sleep during the day. Right now, a bed sounded real good…_No, _she berated herself, _don't think of sleeping until your mission is over. It's time to focus on what you're doing. You can't mess this up. _With that thought in mind, she headed on down the road towards the base. It was going to be a long night.

----------------------------------------------2 hours later-----------------------------------------------

Hawkeye reached 4 a.m., grateful that she had a lot of stamina. The sun hadn't yet begun to cast its rays into the new world, and the moon hadn't yet released its hold on the land. It was full tonight, and shone down bright, and yet hauntingly, on the sleeping planet. Hugging her arms close to her body, Hawkeye could see her breath in the cool air. It was still a little chilly out, even though it was mid-spring.

Topping the last rise before where Allison had described the base, she prepared herself for what she might see. However, as she looked down at their encampment, the military officer had to admit to herself she was a little shocked, and, slightly impressed.

The base that presented itself before her wasn't at all what she had expected. It was a LOT bigger, and more organized.

It was a sprawling set of complexes, arranged in a square shape and divided into five square sections. The center, and smallest, one consisted of one large metal building, looking very strong and formidable, and patrolled by two guards to a side. No one else was around it. Above and to its right was another area. This one consisted of three large, long rectangular metal sheds, which, though not as well built as what she took to be the main base in the center, were still sturdy. They looked perfect for weapons storage. Below them, and to the right of the main base, was the third section. It, by all appearances, was a training area for both alchemists and soldiers. There were several mineral and organic resources there, as well as punching bags, targets, and a strange wooden device that looked like a long, thick, vertical stick with boards sticking out from the sides. Riza was willing to bet it would spin and force the fighter to dodge its attacks. There was also a large, clear area on the outside that was probably for sparring sessions. On the whole left side of the huge camp were many small houses, made of wood, which would probably house two to three soldiers each. The houses were in neat little rows with streets dividing them, so that it looked like a checker board, only all squares were the same color. Surrounding the entire area was a large, probably 6-foot high wall, constructed apparently out of solid stone. The wall had one gate centered on each side, and was manned by four soldiers on each side, one on either side of the gate and one at each end. Altogether, it was a very well-outfitted place, and by the look of it, could support several hundred people.

Steeling herself, Riza was grateful that there appeared to be no one out and about except for the guards and herself. It was going as Allison had told her it would. Approaching the gate nearest her, Riza was stopped by the guards and questioned.

Both men guarding the gate stopped her about five feet away from it. Both carried guns, and her trained eye could tell they knew how to use them. Both men were a little foreboding. One was very tall, dark skinned with blunt features, a nose that looked like it had been broken a few times, and a small, pale scar across his right cheek, black eyes, and with brown hair tied back in a stubby ponytail at the nape of his neck. The other was shorter than his companion, about Hawkeye's height, with midnight black hair that was down to his shoulders, pale, unmarked skin that seemed to glow in the moonlight, bright blue eyes, and high cheekbones. They looked like polar opposites, but they wore identical expressions of suspicion and an overall aura of cruelty. They were also dressed in the same uniform; long pants, a black T-shirt, and a short-sleeved currently unbuttoned coat. Both the coat and the pants were a deep maroon. The pale skinned man had a gold badge shaped like a sword on his, while the other's was a silver emblem of two crossed spears.

The pale skinned one addressed her: "State your name, business, and organization."

Riza took a deep breath and took a gamble, desperately hoping Allison had given them the right information.

"Allison Northwood, returning from a communications mission, part of the Stealth and Reconnaissance division."

The darker one checked the large notebook in his hand, checking for her name. Her answer seemed to satisfy him. Nodding at the pale one, he turned around and whistled three short whistles in different tones to the other side, and the gate opened to allow her onto the path that led straight to the center of camp. She had done it. She had made it inside. Now, to get to work…

The next morning, Ed, Mustang, and Havoc stumbled into the kitchen at the exact same time, blinked at each other stupidly, and proceeded to dig eggs and pancake batter out of the refrigerator and the cabinets. Ed went off to see his brother and leave the other two to cook. Knowing them, he might not have a kitchen when he returned.

Walking into the room where his brother and Allison were, he looked down at the sleeping girl and then went and sat beside the suit or armor.

"Good morning, Al." He muttered groggily.

"Oh, hey Brother. I didn't hear you walk in." Al replied, purple eyes shining down at his sibling. He could tell his brother did not want to be up and around, let alone go to work, but he didn't know what they could do about it. Then again, Ed didn't have a mission right now, and Mustang couldn't send him anywhere while they were plotting to save Winry, so he might as well go back to bed. Al explained this to his brother, who grinned at him.

"Great thinking, Al! YES, home free!" He shouted. He then realized that Al had suggested he go to bed now. Going to bed now would mean no breakfast. No breakfast meant…death by starvation!

"Brother, dear, while your idea is great, you couldn't perhaps, by some mistake, have suggested to your brother that he go back to bed WITHOUT EATING BREAKFAST, COULD YOU?!" Ed started his outburst softly, in that tone of voice that hints that he was about to erupt, and that everyone in the vicinity should evacuate. However, by the end, he was roaring. There was a chance someone two blocks over hadn't heard him. A slight chance. Al blinked at him, a little alarmed by his own sibling.

"Um, Ed, that's not really what I meant…I just thought that you were tired, and might like to sleep some more. Talk to the Colonel, I'm sure he'll let you eat breakfast and stay home the rest of the day." Al tried to console his brother in a gentle tone of voice.

Ed made a grunting noise at this, and muttered under his breath, "Like hell he will." But he decided to try it anyway. Just as he stood up to see how breakfast was doing, he heard Havoc yell in surprise from the kitchen, and worried someone had broken in or something else had gone really wrong, he hurried in.

He stopped at the entrance of the doorway, and stood with his jaw hanging open and his facial expression a mix of amazement, horror, and laughter. This would be extremely funny, if it weren't going on in his house.

In front of him he watched as Havoc dropped to the floor and started the 'Stop, Drop, Roll' procedure that everyone is taught as little kids, yelling as he tried to quell the flames, and coincidentally spreading them all over the kitchen almost faster than Mustang could quell them. Said colonel was covered in pale goo, and currently trying to stop the flames at the moment, his attention divided between the fire and the halfway fried eggs that were still steaming a little on the skillet he was holding.

Ed was afraid to ask what had happened to pancake batter, but noticing the gooey mess all over everything, it was not hard to find out. Now VERY mad, he stomped over, grabbed the extendable nozzle off the sink, and proceeded to drench Havoc, Mustang, the eggs, and the surviving fire. As he stood there and surveyed his ruined kitchen, those around him knew it was time to flee for their lives. Unfortunately for them, they were in no condition to do so.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING IN MY KITCHEN, YOU IDIOTS!!!? WHAT HAPPENED HERE? I'M NEVER LETTING YOU TWO IN HERE AGAIN! WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? MUSTANG, DID YOU CONFUSE HAVOC WITH THE EGGS AND FRY HIM INSTEAD OR SOMETHING?! CLEAN THIS UP!!!" He ranted on. Finally, he was done, and stopped to be sure Havoc was alright.

Determining he had nothing but a couple of blisters on him (Miraculously, it didn't do much damage. The fire hadn't had time to burn him badly; his clothes had been all that was burning. That, and the whole event had only taken a couple of seconds, but had scarred the Elric's kitchen forever.), Ed hauled him up on his feet beside Mustang, the two of which stared at the short alchemist with the most pitiful expressions ever seen. They were about to get murdered but a fifteen year old, and one's subordinate, nonetheless. That thought didn't comfort them.

"Um…well…" Mustang stuttered, nearly as afraid of Ed as he had been of Hawkeye. Was she training him in scary looks or something? At Ed's impatiently tapping foot and corresponding glare, he started again.

"Well, Havoc was dancing around being a pain, and still holding the skillet of pancake batter, and I told him if he kept it up I was going to flame him to a crisp. He didn't stop, and as he darted away from me, he managed to trip and send the pancake batter all over the place, though it was largely concentrated on _me_. Seeing my glare, he tried to run, and succeeded only in tripping _again_ and catching the sleeve of his night shirt on fire from the stove. You saw the rest…"

Ed shook his head and proceeded to glare at Havoc, an eyebrow cocked in annoyance and as a cue to start talking.

"Uh…I was kind of hyper…And we all know how fun it is to bother the colonel…" he muttered, casting a shy glance at Roy before sheepishly continuing, "I didn't think I'd hurt anything. I'll fix it if you want."

Ed finally decided he's scared the poor lieutenant enough and stopped glaring at him. He then clapped his hands and alchemized their clothing dry.

"No, no…I'll just fix it with alchemy." And clapping his hands, he restored his kitchen to its former glory.

"Now, you two go watch Allison, while Al and I try to make something edible. Just for your information, neither of you are to enter my kitchen again, understood?" he instructed, looking at them sternly to get his point across. He looked something akin to a teacher reprimanding misbehaving kindergarteners. However, it did seem to work.

"Yes." They both replied in unison before going to relieve Al.

Soon the suit of armor had entered the kitchen to help his brother. Surprisingly, both brothers were pretty good cooks. Soon, they hollered for the other three to come eat in the dining room.

Allison came haughtily walking in first, head held high, trailed by her two ravenous (and practically drooling) escorts who hated having to be the last there. They were kind of worried Ed had already eaten all the breakfast. It was a likely possibility. However, they entered surprised to find that a delicious meal of scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits with gravy, and pancakes lay in front of them on the cleaned-off table. Four plates already set around it, though a fifth chair was sitting by Ed for Al.

They all sat down in a hurry, and looked across the table at the siblings, amazed they could cook all this.

"How…How did you cook all this food? You mean the Elric brothers can cook good food?! That unbelievable!" exclaimed Havoc while stuffing his face. Ed's eyebrow twitched at this comment, but otherwise didn't say anything as it was kind of a compliment.

"Wow, Foometal, this stuff if preffy good…" Roy said around a mouthful of food.

The brothers grinned at each other.

"Well, we had to learn to cook for ourselves since we so often travel alone. We needed to learn how to do it, and we've gotten pretty good. After all, they say alchemy was born in the kitchen." Ed stated, already half finished with his first plate of food.

"Yeah," laughed Al, "that and we had to find some way to satisfy that enormous appetite of Brother's when we couldn't afford to eat anywhere." Ed directed a glare at him for this statement, but was too busy ensuring he got his share of the food to reprimand his brother. The other two just laughed. Through the whole thing, Allison ate stiff as a rod, never speaking or even acknowledging that any of them existed.

Finally, they finished up. Everyone except for Allison, who remained stationary, began picking up their plates and stacking them on the counter. The brothers were a little amazed that Roy and Jean had the courtesy to do this, or even remembered they should, before the thought crossed their minds that the two had probably learned it just to impress their dates. The two shared identical expressions and sighed and shook their heads at the same time.

After finishing up, the four looked at each other, and silently agreed to stay home the day and try to finish up their plans before putting them into action. It was time to get to work.

I took the idea for pins such as these, especially ones having swords and spears, from Robert Jordan's _The Wheel of Time _series. I'm not trying to copy cat, but I like the idea when Rand makes them for his Asha'man. In fact, don't they have sword pins? I don't remember, but if I'm wrong, I'm going to beg my fellow fans not to kill me. Oh, and if you're not a fan of _The Wheel of Time, _you need to try it, because it is some really AWESOME fantasy writing, and pretty long, too.

A/N: So, was it good? I wouldn't say it's my best chapter, I'm bad at military tactics, and while I can picture their base, I have trouble describing it. If you're confused, contact me and I'll try to explain it better. I hope the ending part with the four guys isn't too light or anything. I hate writing dark military stuff, and since I figured they couldn't do much before Riza got back anyway, I decided I would try to get some humor into them. Somehow, I don't think it's as funny if Hawkeye isn't around to terrify their poor souls. He he he…Okay, that was weird. Sorry, it's almost 1 a.m. and I've been busy today, I'm tired. Anyway, I hope you liked it. Please bear with me, I intend to do better next chapter. Oh, and I'd like to take a moment to celebrate 300 hits! Woohoo!!! However, I have only had 9 reviews…Do you see a problem? You can fix it by pressing that little button down there. It won't bite. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review! See you next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hi everyone! As you've probably figured out, I'm only updating about once a week, and that is probably how it is going to stay. Oh, and I'm REALLY sorry this update is later than usual. School starts in about two weeks (Ahhh! Where did it come from?!), and I've got some stuff to finish up before I go back. Anyway, sorry for the inconvenience, but I promise I won't stop writing this story until it is finished properly. I won't just leave it hanging or anything. Anyway, thanks to my reviewers Syolen and Two Tailz. I really appreciate the input. Anyway, before I talk too much, here is the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist.

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart 

Winry sat on a small, hard cot in the middle of her room, where she had been moved to just hours after regaining consciousness. She had been there for what she estimated to be a little over a day now, as it was hard to get any concept of time in this place. It was a tiny space, only about 8 by 10 feet, with cold, unadorned steel walls. It was devoid of furnishings except for the small bed she sat on and a roughly constructed wooden bedside table, which had nothing on it but the empty tray where she had finished her lunch just about an hour ago. A small glass previously containing water sat on the tray, already empty, but Winry was still thirsty. The bed consisted of nothing but an unsteady frame, a lumpy mattress, an uncomfortable pillow, and a small, dirty blanket. To relieve herself, she had nothing but a small chamber pot. Not exactly the best conditions.

The blonde-haired girl stood up and started pacing the room, restless and unable to do anything with her nervous energy. She was still applying her mind to trying to find a way out of here, but so far she had come up with nothing. They only opened the door to bring her more food and remove the old tray, and to empty her chamber pot, so she had little chance to ambush anyone. Even if she did, the room was bare of anything she could use to hit them with anyway. The flimsy tray would do as little damage to these large, burly men as her hands would. She might be strong due to muscles acquired from being a mechanic, but she wasn't that strong. Give her a wrench, and she could probably hold her own. But sadly, she didn't have one. And unfortunately, she wasn't an alchemist either, so she couldn't just create something useful.

Then, a thought hit her, and she wondered how stupid she could be. The solution was right there, in regard to a weapon at least. The pot! It was metal! She could hear their footsteps when they approached her room, and when they opened the door next time, she could smash them in the head with it, hopefully knocking her guard unconscious. That would take care of one guard, which was evidently all they thought was needed to watch her, as she was just a girl. Hmph…She'd show them to rethink that idea!

However, a tiny problem remained. After she broke out of her room, where would she go then? She had no idea how many people were around, or their weapons, and no idea which way to go to escape the base or how big it was. In addition, assuming she even _did_ get out, she had no clue where she was, or how to get home. Maybe she could find some people in a nearby town or something to help her, but somehow she doubted that the terrorists' would establish a base anywhere near other human habitation. They would be too easily spotted. But then the question came; where did they get their food supply? There didn't seem to be a shortage. If there were a shortage, even in her brief time outside these prison walls, she should have heard men complaining, some looking unhealthy, or at least some such sign. Instead, they all looked healthy and content, at least with their supply situation. Perhaps they bought food from a nearby town? It was possible that they would set up their base near people if they had allies. Enough people in the country hated the government, there would probably be more than one town willing to supply and offer some shelter to the rebels. That explained one issue, and also completely eliminated the possibility of reaching any close village that would help her.

This was getting to be really frustrating! Did Ed have to think through all of this just to get through his missions, or whatever the heck it was he did out there? Did he contemplate the results of his actions or where they would land him? Did he walk his poor brain in circles? Then she snorted in a very unladylike manner. Of course he didn't! This was Ed they were talking about! He never thought far enough ahead to ponder more than putting one foot in front of the other, or at least not much farther. He would rush in and take care of things first, ask questions and wonder how he came out alive later. Thinking of her childhood friend couldn't help but make Winry grin, and it lifted her spirits a little.

Still, she was worried about Ed and Al. What was happening to them through all of this? As she already knew, she was the bargaining chip being used to manipulate them. She desperately hoped they weren't listening to the terrorists! But knowing them, they were probably plotting to get her out. This thought alarmed her even more. As much as she loved them, and due to this fact, she didn't want them coming to rescue her. They could get hurt! If something happened to them, she would never forgive herself. Those two boys had already suffered more than anyone should. They couldn't get injured over her! So, she was determined to find a way out on her own before they could come. Not to mention Granny Pinako was sure to be worried, too. After she had failed to come back, her grandmother was probably alarmed. She had asked the terrorists if they had communicated with her, and when they said no, as they had nothing to gain from her, she asked them to send her closest relative a letter. Surprisingly, and for no apparent reason, they agreed. On second thought, a letter written from her would only serve as more proof they weren't bluffing about holding her hostage, so she guessed they did have some motivation. So, shortly after being transferred to this room, they had given her a pen and paper. She had been told not to give any details of anything that had occurred, and as she was sure they would check the letter before they sent it, Winry didn't even try. She merely informed her grandmother that she had been kidnapped, and that despite bad conditions, she was alright. Though she was sure this wasn't comforting, at least it let her grandmother know she was alive. The terrorists could see no reason to stop the letter, so it went through, to Winry's relief. That was one small worry off her mind. Now, back to plotting her escape…

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Riza headed straight inside the camp to the large steel building in the center, as that was where she had been directed to go by Allison. She hated to admit it, but the building was rather impressive. It wasn't pretty or anything, it was just strong and well-built; they were well equipped for a bunch of rebels. Walking into the watery shadow cast by the moon, she headed towards the door and walked in. Inside her eyes took a moment to adjust to the change from pale moonlight to the well-lit interior. Once they did, she blinked, and took in the area around her. She was in a large room, with metal walls and many standing lamps, and a few lights hanging from the 10-foot ceiling. There was a thin layer of dark brown carpet across the floor. A small corner of the room was walled off, into what appeared to be a cell. Riza couldn't know for sure, but she had a strong suspicion that was where they were holding Ed and Al's friend Winry. In the rest of the room, there were multiple desks around, neatly organized into one row of about 5 desks along one side of the room. People were at all of them, analyzing the many papers decorating their surface. They all appeared to be wearing badges similar to those worn by the gate-guards, except for these rebels' pins consisted of only one silver spear. The badges evidently symbolized rank.When finished with one of the reports, the workers would pull out a piece of thick paper and a pen from a drawer, write what Hawkeye assumed to be a summary of the document, and then place it in a tray on the right-hand corner of their desk. As mentioned before, this was strangely organized for a terrorist organization. The other side of the room contained about 10 people, most in groups of three or four, discussing something,while a few others, probably messengers, took papers from the trays on the desks and either delivered them upstairs or to the people in the room.

Recalling she was there to work as well as observe, the trigger-happy lieutenant scanned the room for the man she was supposed to contact. Identifying him talking to two others, probably gathering information, she headed his way. He was tall, with a once pale complexion now browned by the sun, heavyset, with a trim brown beard and dark brown hair, and black eyes. He was dressed in what looked to be brown work pants and a brown sleeveless shirt. On the right hand side of his shirt, Hawkeye identified what appeared to be yet another badge, this one of three crossed golden swords. From what she had heard, this was definitely the man that left the note for Edward, Thomas McKinley. He was currently in deep conversation with the other men, so she walked over and stopped just within hearing range of their circle, so she would be able to hear their conversation, as well as appear to be waiting to speak and deliver her message. She caught the trail end of their conversation.

"…training is going well. We didn't expect numbers this large. We should be careful, though…I don't trust that alchemist you're using not to turn on us."

It was then that they noticed "Allison" standing there, waiting to deliver the message. McKinley gestured for the others to leave; they bowed, and did as they were told.

"Hello, Allison. Did you retrieve the message? And why are you late? You look tired, is everything alright?" He asked in a deep voice, acting rather concerned for someone that had seemed so cruel. It seemed he did care for his own personnel.

"Hello, sir." Hawkeye replied, saluting and doing her best to follow the instructions Allison had given her. At times like this, Riza was very grateful for her level-headed disposition; it helped keep her calm.

"Yes, they left a note as ordered. I apologize for being late, sir, the military had a checking post a little outside of Central and I had to take a detour to avoid it. Yes, sir, I'm fine, I'm honored for your concern, but I just haven't been sleeping well, and the long night got to me. Now that I have delivered the message, may I have permission to retire, sir?"

McKinley gave her a funny look, and for a moment, the lieutenant felt her heart plummet, then he nodded, and she let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Go on, Northwood. You need the rest. I'll see you tomorrow, thanks for the report." And with that he turned on his heel and walked to another group of men, and Hawkeye turned to wearily trudge upstairs to her newly acquired quarters.

Turning the corner at the top of the stairs, a long hallway was revealed to her, with parallel rooms on each side. She estimated there to be about ten along each. Her room was number 13. It was a good thing Riza wasn't suspicious, or that could have been a tad creepy. Regardless, she walked over and inserted the key she had hidden under her cloak. With a little _click_, the door swung open, and Allison stepped into her new living area.

It was actually a nice room, especially for a terrorist organization. It wasn't ritzy, but it was orderly, and it fit Hawkeye's style pretty well. It wasn't very large, probably about 15 x 12 feet, with a side door to the left of the entrance leading off to the bathroom. The walls were a pale brown, but with warm, sandy touches in it. There was a twin size bed in the upper right-hand corner, with sheets in earthy tones, and with little decorative bands of palm trees working their way across it. The carpet was a pale off-white. Beside the bed was a dark wood bedside table, probably mahogany, with a small drawer in the top and open space underneath. There was a pin on the table featuring two crossed silver spears, which must belong to Allison. On the side of the room closest to the door, near the corner, was a small round table, also mahogany, surrounded by three comfortable-looking chairs in sage green tones. Opposite the bed on the other side of the wall was a chest of drawers, also in dark wood, with a small jewelry chest sat on the top. The jewelry chest was an off-white color like the carpet, with gold inlay around the edges and the drawers. The image of a few pale pink roses was painted on the top of it. It was lacquered to make it shine, and the top had a small engraving in it, over the rose print, also inlaid with gold. Upon walking closer, Hawkeye could see what it read.

"_The only thing predictable about life is that it will always be unpredictable."_

The message was written in precise, sweeping script, like a calligrapher's, and Riza found she liked the saying.

Still, she couldn't ponder it for long, as she was tired and needed to go to bed before she was forced to wake up late tomorrow to go contact her friends. She would have to get up even earlier than usual, though, because she still had to write them a letter with information on it to exchange when she visited them. She would worry about that tomorrow though. Hawkeye changed clothes and crawled into bed, and fell asleep just as the first rays of sunlight topped the horizon.

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A/N: I thought that I would make a quick note here at the bottom about ranks and badges, before it gets too confusing. Anyway, the ranks are as follows, from the highest to the lowest officer in the chain of command.

Three crossed golden swords – highest ranked, could be considered the rebels' "Fuhrer".

Two crossed golden swords – next in line, I suppose he/she would be like a brigadier general.

One golden sword – equivalent to a colonel, I suppose.

Three crossed silver spears – lieutenant colonel.

Two crossed silver spears – major, and the rank of Allison Northwood.

One silver spear – lieutenant.

One copper star – symbolizes a new soldier, equivalent to a master sergeant.

One metal circle – new inductee, not even a soldier yet, still in training.

A/N continued: I don't know where exactly all the military rankings go, and if I have something out of order, please tell me. I know I skipped some positions, but it would be really annoying to have to remember even more ranks, don't you agree? I don't know much of anything about _any_ military, let alone Amestris', so you'll have to forgive the system's crudeness. I'm sorry about that. Oh, and some of you are probably wondering why Allison's and a few others' rooms are upstairs in the main building, rather than in the separate quarters specifically for soldiers. Anyone of high rank or an important job is allowed quarters there, for easy access and communications reasons. McKinley's room is up there, too. Allison needs it because she arrives late at night, and besides not wanting her to disturb other soldiers, the rebels' want the information she brings right away. I hope that is a good enough reason. Anyway, I hope you liked it, and I apologize once again for it being kind of short and for being late. Now, would you review, pretty please…They would motivate me to post another chapter quicker…Please, I just want a couple of words of an opinion. Whether you liked it, hated it, or just have a recommendation, please tell me. It won't take but a couple of seconds of your time. (Gives everyone puppy dog eyes…) Well, anyway, I better go, so thanks again for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to the sixth chapter of _A Kidnapped Heart_! Yay! It seems to be doing well so far. I apologize for not having this chapter out sooner. I had it almost completely written just two days after my last post, but I seem to have caught one ANNOYING cold that just didn't want to leave. I do have some good news, though: I now own the entire Fullmetal Alchemist anime series! Yay! Unfortunately for me, 12 and 13 are still being shipped to my house, so I have to wait. But I've got the movie and everything else prepared. Victory at last! I found them all! Oh, and one quick thing: I would like to celebrate almost 600 hits on this story, and 12 reviews! Woohoo! However, I do ask that you notice that those numbers mean a LOT of people didn't review…Do you get my drift? And before I go, a big thanks to my ONLY REVIEWER last chapter; Syolen! Please, please review…In the meantime, I present the newest addition: chapter six!

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. I own my personal creations within this story and the story itself. That's about it.

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart

Riza woke up at 5:00 p.m. that night, after a refreshing 10-hour sleep. She had needed it. Rolling over to turn off her rather annoying alarm, Hawkeye looked rather like the rest of us do in the morning. She seemed like the kind of person who would wake up looking as orderly and alert as she was in the day, not blurry eyed and out of it like most people. Unfortunately for her, that wasn't how it worked. Though her eyes carried their normal spark of awareness, her hair was messy, and her nightgown wrinkled. Slipping out of bed, she grabbed a brush from the bathroom and combed her hair out, and then got in the shower. That woke her up.

Soon, she was finished getting ready, and walked over to the bathroom mirror to see how she looked. Her own reflection stared back at her, dressed in a trim black T-shirt perfect for her figure and khaki slacks. On the right-hand side of her shirt was her silver spear badge, identifying her rank as major. Her hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck, unlike her typical high bun. According to Allison, she didn't like to take the time to do her hair up, so she just tied it back. She wore her black combat boots, and a gun strapped to her pants, hidden under the tail of her shirt, which was just long enough and loose enough to cover it. The lieutenant hoped no one would notice, but if they did, she had the excuse that she had gotten into the habit of carrying it with her at all times from her missions out and about. That was actually true; from her time in the military, the blonde had learned never to let her guard down, and to always have a weapon ready.

Heading down the stairs, Riza turned right at the bottom to head outside. There was a lot more activity outside now than there was when she arrived. Hawkeye was going out for a jog around the base, or at least that's what she would tell anyone who asked. While she would enjoy the jog, her real reason for being out was to scout the area. After she learned what she needed, she could go back in for her breakfast, most people's dinner, and then write a note to her comrades. Then it was off to deliver it.

About 30 minutes later the gun-wielding woman had finished her job, and now knowing what she needed and still not even breaking a sweat, she headed into the cafeteria to get something to eat.

It was a rather large room, with plenty of tables for the soldiers to eat at. Currently, as it was about 6 o'clock, it was pretty full, many soldiers having finished their duties and now relaxing and having dinner with their friends. It struck Riza that for people trying to bring down the government, their new one didn't seem much different. No matter the different beliefs or supposed causes, men and women both would go about their lives as usual. Everyone needed time to relax, and right now, this room looked so similar to the one in Central that it practically made Riza feel homesick. She would have to take care not to get too relaxed here. A relaxed tongue can easily spill information you would rather not have known into deadly ears. In this place, that would be a VERY bad idea. Walking over to the counter, where they served all three meals at all times of the day for people with missions like her, she just ordered scrambled eggs and some plain, strong black coffee.

She went over to a separate table and sat on her own, composing the message she would write later in her head, picking at her eggs and sipping her bitter drink. She liked the pungent taste. It helped keep her alert and wide awake.

Hearing the scuffle of a chair scraping across the floor, she looked across the table and up into the face of a rather short (Not down to Ed's height, but still short) man, who was pulling the chair out one-handed with his tray balanced in the other. He had pale, sand-colored hair that was cut short and striking bright green eyes, the color of deep emeralds. His nose was small and his face was altogether rather petite, making him look delicate and a little feminine. Though Riza had learned not to judge people by their looks, it was hard to imagine this man being very frightening, regardless of the circumstances. He wasn't even very old. Riza estimated him to be only about 21 or 22, though the three crossed silver spears revealed that he was a lieutenant colonel. Noticing Hawkeye's gaze, the man smiled, not acting at all like her superior as she saluted.

He nodded to her in return, and spoke in a cheery voice, "Do you mind if I sit here? None of my normal friends are around, and there weren't many unoccupied tables." At this Hawkeye looked around, and taking note of at least 5 tables with no inhabitants, returned her gaze to him, cocking an eyebrow. At this he laughed.

"Okay, okay, so it was a bad lie. My friends really are gone, and as I didn't know you and you happened to be sitting here all on your own, I thought you might like company. No need to be antisocial!"

At the man's banter Riza found herself grinning a little, and despite the fact that this man was the enemy, she found that she believed him, and maybe even liked him. He somehow reminded her of Hughes…Still, she couldn't let her guard down. But what was wrong with having some company while she was here? It might make her look more convincing anyway.

"Yes, sir, you can sit here if you wish. I don't mind, I appreciate the thought." So he pulled out the chair across from her and started eating his dinner, which appeared to be potato soup and a biscuit. Though he couldn't compare to Edward, at the rate he was going, his whole plate of food would be gone in a couple of minutes. Shaking her head a little, the man started trying to start the conversation.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I just realized how rude I've been. The name is Ethan, Ethan McKinley. What's yours?" He asked, sticking his hand out at her from across the table. It was then that Riza made the connection. _McKinley…Could this be the rebel leader's son! It would certainly be a good connection to have. But, he seemed so pleasant. I suppose I shouldn't judge people by their relatives, though. Still, I'm sure it can't be bad to be friends with the boss's son…Might come in handy…_

She extended her hand to his, and shaking his hand, said, "Nice to meet you, Lt. Colonel McKinley, I'm Allison, Major Allison Northwood." They shook hands, and Hawkeye got the feeling she had found a real friend around the rebels. She hoped he would get out before anyone got hurt. This man was too nice, too pure, to be sullied by the stains of blood and war.

The next hour and a half went by pretty quickly, and at seven thirty, after finishing her breakfast and saying goodbye to Ethan, Hawkeye headed upstairs to quickly write her letter to her coworkers.

Rustling around in the bedside drawer until she found paper and a pen, the lieutenant headed over to the pale green chairs and dark table in the corner. Taking a seat, she started writing.

_Colonel Mustang,_

_I have successfully infiltrated the enemy base, and no one seems to suspect anything. I took a jog around the base this morning to scout around. They are a very well set up organization, with about 250 to 300 men. _

She went on to describe the base and those within it in detail, as well as their weapons.

_I am yet to discover their supply source for food. I suspect their alchemists are responsible for the weapons and exceptional facilities, but where their food comes from is a mystery, though I do have my suspicions about nearby towns to the South. They might be willing to supply the rebels._

_Also, on another note, I seem to be have befriended one Ethan McKinley, and my guess is that he is the son of Thomas McKinley, the one in charge here. _

_Anyway, the mission seems to be going well, though I haven't seen any sign of Ms. Rockbell yet. There is, however, what appears to be a small cell in the main room of the base, and that is a possibility as to where she is being held captive._

_I think we are ready to send the false information and begin to move in to rescue the girl and invade the base. In the meantime, I will do my best to remain undercover._

_Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye _

Scanning the note, the military officer nodded that she had included everything necessary, and then folded it and laid it on her dresser, and went to change into the dark clothes and cloak she had to where for her mission.

When finished dressing, she tucked the note into the inside pocket of her cloak, and made sure she had everything necessary for the trip. She had a little over an hour before she needed to leave at nine, so she simply inspected her room closer and paced anxiously. She found nothing of importance in the room, so she settled down to read a little in one of Allison's books while she waited

Nine o'clock came quickly, and Riza got up to leave. Creeping down the hallway and down the stairs as quietly as possible, she slipped out the door and headed towards the gate.

As she got closer to the exit, she became aware of a shadow moving behind her, and it seemed to be following her.

Finally she stopped, and without turning around, called, "Who's there? What do you want?" in a firm voice.

A low chuckle sounded from a nearby alleyway, and she saw a man, face hidden inside a cloak like hers, step out from the shadows. She tensed, hand reaching for her gun.

"Oh, please don't. I don't mean you any harm. Before we are spotted, hurry, into this alleyway. If it makes you feel better, keep your gun out. I seem to be the only one who suspects you, so come already!"

Warily, and with gun drawn as mentioned, Riza approached, and slipped into the alleyway beside Ethan. He quickly took off the black hood that had hidden his face, and Hawkeye saw that it was none other than Ethan who had called to her. Giving him a suspicious look and still not lowering her gun, Hawkeye followed him deeper inside.

"Look, don't worry about me revealing your secret. You're probably wondering how I know you don't belong here. You're certainly not Allison." She didn't respond.

"Well, you see, everyone here knows who my father is, and as I'm sure you know, he's the boss of this organization. Everyone's afraid I'll report them for something or the other, and get them in trouble, so everyone tries to avoid me, or if they do talk to me, they stutter and don't talk long. Allison was the only exception to that. She's the kind of girl who doesn't care who you are, you'll get her opinion whether you want it or not…" His eyes sparkled with the mention of his friend, and Hawkeye wondered if they were a little more than just friends.

"Anyway," he continued, "When I approached you today, you didn't know me, and didn't act like yourself or the rest of the soldiers. So, I figured you were pretending to be her to get inside the base for the military. They must have found out somehow. Though I must admit, your resemblance to her is striking. No one but me would know the difference. It's the tiny mannerisms that give you away. So, I figured I would follow you tonight and see if it was true. Unfortunately, though predictably, you discovered me. It figures that the military would send one of their best to this base."

"I won't reveal who you are. My father and companions don't know, but I'm not for their cause. I'm a traitor to the organization I serve. I may hate the military, but I don't want bloodshed. This country has seen enough of that. Even though my father means good, if he fights the government, regardless of whether we win or lose, people are going to die, and families are going to be torn apart. I don't want that. I haven't reported our location, though, because if I do, the military will invade and everyone will get hurt anyway. But I can't talk these people out of it; they are all too devoted to the cause. It seems inevitable that there will be a battle…" His voice got heavy with regret and sorrow at the end, and some other undetectable emotion, strong but carefully hidden.

Hawkeye didn't know what it was, but she was still pondering what the man had said. He had sounded sincere, and she couldn't just shoot the man she had no reason to distrust. Lowering her gun, she broke the awkward silence.

"So, you're not with the rebels." It was a statement of what she had heard, not a question. He nodded, and then spoke.

"Yeah…So, as you're not Allison, can you tell me a few of things? Where is she? Is she safe? And how did you find out about this place?" At this Hawkeye nodded that she would answer.

"She's fine. She's with my superior. If it's any comfort, we haven't alerted the military about her, either. I won't give you details on her location, but she is safe and being taken care of. As to how I found out about this place…Do you know where a girl by the name of Winry Rockbell is? I won't give you details, but she is a bit of the reason we know about this place."

He stopped and thought a moment. "Rockbell…Rockbell...Oh, yes, my father is holding her captive. I'd forgotten." He said, acting ashamed, but yet also reestablishing his mask. Hawkeye could tell there was more to this Ethan than met the eye. The cheerful air was a ruse, albeit a good one, but there was something deeper going on here, though she didn't sense hostile intent. He continued while she thought about him, nothing showing on her face.

"I was more worried about stopping everyone and hoping Allison was alright to remember the name. She's alright; she's in the cell in the main room. I'm sure you've seen it." At this Hawkeye nodded.

"Not many of the soldiers know about it. In fact, I think I am the only one under the rank of a standard colonel who is aware, and that's only because of Father mentioning it. They're taking care of her, even if she's not enjoying the best accommodations. She's being used to blackmail a State Alchemist, one Edward Elric, if I remember correctly." He paused a second, and then asked, "Is that how you know about this place? The Fullmetal Alchemist told others about us?"

Hawkeye didn't respond, but it didn't do any good, he knew that he was right anyway.

"So, one last question before I let you go see your friends, and if you answer, I'll try to keep you informed about your friend here. What's your name? Your real name? I think that we should meet properly." Riza gave him a considering look, and then nodded.

Extending her hand, she said, "Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

He grinned, and, reaching over to shake her hand, replied, "Lt. Colonel Ethan McKinley, pleased to meet you!"

And with that, he backed into the shadows and was lost to sight as quickly as he had come.

Hawkeye shook her head, still a little surprised by the strange turn of events, but happy things had turned out for the best. Slipping back out of the alleyway and onto the street, she headed to the exit. Nodding to the guards, she slipped out of the gate into the darkness.

Once out of sight of the base, Riza pulled the note out of her pocket and sat down on a rock, hurriedly scribbling a note to her superior about what had just happened.

_P.S. It's 9:30 at night. I was just confronted by the Ethan McKinley I mentioned before. Seems he is a friend of Northwood's, and knows I'm not her. He says he does not support the rebels' cause, though, and that he won't report me. He wanted to know my name and if Allison was alright, and in return, he told me where Ms. Rockbell is and that he will keep me informed of any changes with her. I agreed. He also figured out on his own that Fullmetal reported them. Everything appears to be alright, though; I believe him when he says he won't report me... Anyway, just keeping you informed. Good luck with the plan._

_Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye_

That looked good. Now, to deliver the message and receive theirs, and make her other quick stop...

---------------------------------Midnight, two and a half hours later-------------------------------

Having already finished her earlier stop, Hawkeye approached the apartments of her friends, slipping inside quiet as the shadows she imitated. Finding their apartment, number 51, she gave four quick raps on the door.

Bending down, she picked up the note pushed under the door, and replaced it with her own, before heading out as quickly as she had arrived. They weren't going to make direct contact. The goal was to keep this as secretive as possible.

She headed back down the path to the base, things looking no different than they did the night before. The ball was in motion. Now, they would wait for the next move.

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A/N: So, how was it? Sorry there is nothing but Hawkeye in here, if you aren't a big fan, but I felt her part of the story was necessary. She's harder to write than I expected. And no, this won't be a Riza x Ethan fic or anything. I'm a Roy x Riza supporter till the end. Oh, and would anyone like to guess the other stop Hawkeye made? You're not getting any hints from me. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review. Pleeeeaaaassseee!!!!!!!!!!! If you've read this far, just take a moment to type something. So, press that tantalizing little button in the corner, would you? It would motivate me to update faster. Next chapter I intend to have more Ed and Co. Oh, and the ending will have lots of them, let me assure you. Anyway, I'll say it again, thanks for reading, and please review!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hi guys! School has already started, and even though I'll try my hardest, updates will come slower. I'll try to update about once every two weeks, quicker if I can. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. And I'm sorry this update is so late. There's just so much to do! It's my first year of high school, so it'll take a little adjusting. That and I already have 14 projects going for the year. I like to stay busy. Wish me luck. Oh, and a big thanks to my reviewers, Syolen, Alatus, and demonic-angle! Anyway, here is chapter 7!

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist.

Rating: T

Summary: Ed and Al return to Central to find that Winry has been kidnapped, and is being used to try to manipulate Ed. Can the brothers get her back? EdWin. Bad summary, plz read. Slight spoilers.

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A Kidnapped Heart

At a knock on the door, four heads turned towards it, watching as a piece of paper beneath it was exchanged for another.

Walking forward, Ed picked up the paper and walked back to his brother and other companions. He opened it, and after reading soundlessly he passed it to Roy.

The Flame Alchemist's brow furrowed as he read the report, worry flashing across his face. Alphonse and Havoc peeked over his shoulder to get a glimpse, at which Havoc's heart sank, and Al's would have, if he had had one.

"Two hundred and fifty to three hundred soldiers! What kind of terrorist group has that kind of numbers, or the resources required to support them?! And they have alchemists?! This is just getting better by the minute…Oh, and look, the icing on the cake, someone found out about Lieutenant Hawkeye, too. Seems my bad luck with women carries on to just about everything…" Havoc grumbled, earning a glare from his associates.

"Hmmm…This isn't going to be easy, that's for sure. And we certainly didn't expect them to be so well equipped. They've probably been planning this since McKinley broke out of jail. We're going to need to lead the majority of their troops away to the West like we intended. Hopefully that note we gave Hawkeye will do the trick. Until then, I'm afraid there is little more we can do other than to wait. Plans aren't executed overnight. Tomorrow evening we'll hear back from the lieutenant; that will tell us if we can start the rescue operation. In the meantime, hard though I'm sure this is for you, we just have to sit back and wait. At least we know Ms. Rockbell is alright, and who knows, this Ethan McKinley might actually be helpful. For now, I say we all go to sleep." Mustang recommended, watching as his 'wait and see' response elicited a glare from Edward, who obviously preferred the doing to the planning. He started to protest, but was stopped before he began by the Colonel.

"I know you don't like this Fullmetal, but you have to deal with it. Glare all you like, if you think I'm doing this just to make it difficult, think again. I'm trying to help here, and you're being too stubborn to realize it. Look, I've been through a lot more hostage situations than you, albeit none like this, but we're doing the best we can. If all goes well, we can leave in about two days. In the meantime, use some of that energy to decide what you're going to do when you're there. Lieutenant Havoc, let's go." Mustang counseled, and waved Jean off to the guest bedroom.

Unhappy though he was, Ed could see the truth in the colonel's words. Sighing, he turned to the only other person in the room.

"I guess he does have a point, doesn't he, Al? Never thought I'd agree with the sarcastic colonel on much of anything, but I guess that's not true. We'll rescue Winry eventually though, and when we do, those bastards will pay." Gold eyes burned with fire and resolve towards the end, but Alphonse was glad to see his hot-tempered sibling was listening to Roy. They might get on each other's nerves, but it was obvious to those around them that they really did care about what happened to the other, and were willing to help when the time came. The Flame was doing his best. The brothers would deal with it.

"Come on Ed, like you said, the colonel's right, and we do need to be going to bed. You need your rest. Who knows, sleeping properly might help you grow…" That last bit was said quietly under Al's breath, but he could still swear the little strip of hair that stuck up off Ed's head twitched. Al decided his brother had some kind of subconscious radar that warned him when someone insulted his height. The thought made Al snicker softly. At least he could keep a sense of humor. That might be hard to keep in a few days…

Hawkeye followed the routine that night almost identical to the one before, and the same with the next day. She went for a run, sat with Ethan, though neither said anything about their previous encounter, and things seemed fine. The only eventful thing was the knowledge that their plan had worked. As she woke up about five in the evening, she was informed by one of the messengers that the troops were being mobilized and would be leaving soon. Their plan was in motion. With so many troops out of the way and Hawkeye working on the inside, it shouldn't be hard to infiltrate the base and rescue Winry. Then the plan was just to tell the military as if they just received the information and the government would clean up the rest. It seemed foolproof now, with the soldiers out of the way. The messenger informed her that she was one of about 75 men who would stay to guard the base. One of the privileges of her position. She learned at breakfast that Ethan would also remain, courtesy of his father. Apparently the boss's kid wasn't to risk being injured in battle.

Feeling good about their plan, Riza left at about ten that night with a note in her pocket that told that they were successful and the number of men remaining. Tomorrow, their plan would be in full swing, and the infiltration of the base would begin…

The next day seemed to go by infinitely slower than it ever should, the sun moving across the sky at a snail's pace. It was slowest of all to Ed, who was left with noting to do but be sure he was ready if they could leave tomorrow, and then sit and wait. He tried sparring with Al outside, and though he could fight alright, he was having trouble staying focused.

Finally, after what felt more like a week rather than one day, midnight arrived, and the results of all their planning was about to be known, and the notes under the door switched. Theirs had merely reaffirmed what had been said earlier – If the troops were gone, they would arrive at the base tomorrow and try to smuggle Winry out. If not…they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Walking over and picking up the newest note, Edward could feel the strong thud of his over-eager heart against his rib cage, the pounding of his blood in his veins. Please let them Winry tomorrow. Let the troops be gone!

Unfolding the note, Ed grinned in relief. It had worked. It had worked. Tomorrow, they would head south. Sighing again as his body relaxed, he passed the note to the others, who shared his happiness with grins.

They were ready now. Tomorrow, they would wake up at 7, get ready, and arrive at the base by 10. Things would work out, and Winry would be okay. With that thought in mind, the group retired to await the morning. If everything went as planned, by this time tomorrow, Winry would be safe and sound at home…

Unfortunately for the Elric brothers, things never work out as planned…

A/N: So, how was it? I don't know why, but this chapter was really hard to write. The words just didn't seem to flow correctly. I hope it was okay. I also apologize for it being so short, but I thought that was a good place to end it anyway, and as I have to go to bed soon, this was all I could get out right now. Starting next chapter, the real action gets started. It's fight scene time! Time to once again watch all those fight scenes and learn how to write then. This should be fun. And I think I gave the hint, things don't exactly go smoothly. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please, please review. They motivate me to update faster…Anyway, thanks again, and I'll see you next time!


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